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Guest American4Progress

Guest American4Progress

It wasn't long ago that multi-millionaire real estate mogul and NBC's Celebrity Apprentice host Donald Trump considered running a somewhat credible presidential campaign. In 2000, he contemplated a third-party run as the nominee for the Reform Party, and in preparation, laid out a presidential platform that covered various issue areas, including the national deficit, Social Security, U.S. trade policy and campaign finance reform. This time around, however, Trump is taking a different tack. Ever since "The Donald" first floated the idea that he might seek the Republican Party's nomination to run against President Obama in 2012, he has dabbled in nearly every discredited far-right conspiracy theory in a transparent attempt to attract attention and appease the right-wing base.

GOING BIRTHER: Despite overwhelming proof that President Obama was born in Hawaii, it has taken Trump little more than a week to transition from having "just a little doubt" about Obama's birth certificate to becoming a full-fledged birther. After first raising the issue on his March 22 appearance on Good Morning America, Trump escalated his birther nonsense by telling the Daily Caller that he would release his own birth certificate, a clear attempt to make Obama's birth a major campaign issue. He then followed through, only to find out that it wasn't an official birth certificate. And even after conservatives like presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty denounced birtherism, Trump doubled down. He questioned the idea that Obama's parents could have taken out a newspaper ad celebrating his birth, telling Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, "Nelson Rockefeller doesn't put announcements. I've never seen one." O'Reilly admonished Trump for his birther rant, saying his own investigation found two birth notifications in Hawaii newspapers. That's when Trump officially went off the deep end, suggesting Obama's family faked the entire ordeal: "I grew up with Wall Street Geniuses. What they do in terms of fraud, and how they change documents." O'Reilly responded incredulously: "There couldn't have been a sophisticated (conspiracy). What is he, Baby Jesus?"

RIGHT WING GREATEST HITS: On O'Reilly's show, Trump chose to tout another topic popular among fringe right-wingers, transitioning his birther stance into outright Islamophobia. "There's something on that birth (certificate), maybe religion, maybe it says he's a Muslim, I don't know," Trump said. And he hardly stopped there. In an apparent effort to keep up with former pizza company official Herman Cain, the most brazenly anti-Islam candidate on the GOP side, Trump harped about the world's "Muslim problem." Surely, he had some sort of high-level intelligence alerting him to this problem, right? Not quite. "All you have to do is turn on your television," he said. "You know it, and I know it." Part of that Muslim problem, according to Trump, is the President's policy toward Libya. In an interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, Trump pushed the unsubstantiated right-wing theory that Libyan rebels "are closely associated with Iran. And they're closely associated with al Qaeda." In an effort to complete his transformation into a right-wing conspiracy theorist, Trump also pushed the idea that Obama's memoir, "Dreams from My Father," was written by Bill Ayers, and that the Chinese were out to "strip (America) of everything they can strip us of." He's also anti-gay marriage, for no apparent reason. Trump: "I just don't feel good about it."

RATINGS BOON: After Trump's birther discussion with O'Reilly, former Bush strategist Karl Rove said he thought Trump's approach was "a mistake. It will marginalize him." But is it a mistake? In a GOP field that already features two fringe candidates (Cain and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann) and will before long become crowded with multiple other candidates, perhaps Trump is attempting to carve out a niche among the voters on the right edge of the party. Or, perhaps, a millionaire with an instinct for exploiting interests to bolster his pocketbook (think Miss USA or "You're fired!") has figured out a way to occupy the spotlight early in the race and is using it for his own self-gain. Indeed, the ratings for Celebrity Apprentice were dismal early in the season. But with Trump making numerous appearances on both morning network and evening cable TV programs, the show's ratings have suddenly spiked. Either way, it says quite a lot about the sad state of the modern Republican Party that someone like Trump can exploit GOP voters for either electoral or personal gain by running as fast as he can to the farthest right fringe of the party.

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Guest Independant Thinker

Guest Independant Thinker

Tonight's debate was better than I expected. Most of the candidates were more thoughtful with their answers. Newt Gingrich and John Huntsman displayed intellectual superiority over the pack.

It was interesting that their podiums were placed at the farthest points. Newt Gingrich did gain the crowd support on questioning the motif of MSNBC questions to divide the candidates. But, he came off like Al Gore to me. He engages the audience like he is the professor and we are the students. Kudos for John Huntsman pointing out that MSNBC was not asking the most important question that everyone wants to know. What are the positions about jobs. All also like that what he said about pledges. That seems to much like a college fraternity thing.

I felt that MSNBC was unfair to Rick Santorum and Herman Cain in giving questions. It felt like Rick Santorum did not even exist. He should have been more aggressive like Herman Cain. The former Godfather Pizza CEO fought to get his position out. He was successful in marketing his 999 and Chilean Social Security plans. I wanted to hear more from him.

Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul were grouped together to show the activist leaders of the Tea Party movement. MSNBC made sure to show their weaknesses. Michele Bachmann lost ground on dodging the question about Obama's handling of Libya and her $2/gallon of gas promise. Ron Paul lost ground by looking outdated as his silver dime comment on the real cost of inflation and FEMA responses. But Dr. Paul did come up with a big hit on Rick Perry's executive mistake on forcing drugs on its citizens. The whole group ganged up on Governor Perry on this issue.

The center stage was on Mitt Romney vs. Rick Perry. Romney got lucky when a video of his former healthcare statements might have damaged him. He also looked more like a leader then previous debates. He scored well consoling Rick Perry's feeling like he was being smacked around like a pinata, when he stated that all leaders make mistakes. I thought the President Reagan jab to Ron Paul was a big blow to Ron Paul. He caught the doctor off guard on that remark. Dr. Paul had a problem communicating his conviction against deficit spending well.

I was sad that MSNBC did not ask questions more on jobs. That is what everyone wants to know. I have a feeling that it was done to insulate questions against President's upcoming Congressional speech.

The person I like the most in this debate was Jon Huntsman. He was more palatable than the rest of the pack. But, I still do not see Presidential charisma. He is more like President Obama in that regard. I also liked that he did not take the bait of MSNBC to point out anti science candidates. So instead the pointed the question to Rick Perry.

The reality is the party is pushing Mitt Romney. I think he will lose to Obama in a debate. Thus causing the presidency to remain in Democrats hands.

Guest LovetheTurks

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Guest Derek

Guest Derek

During the 2006 election cycle for Texas governor, Rick Perry needed money to win. He called upon Mitt Romney, then-chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Court records reveal Perry's long-time top strategist Dave Carney, along with Deirdre Delisi, his campaign operations manager, visited with Mitt Romney to aquire funds. Romney eventually signed off on giving the Perry campaign $1 million. The RGA sent one $500,000 payment in late October 2006. Perry picked up the second $500,000 contribution on Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C.

On October 4, 2006, Deirdre Delisi and Dave Carney met with Mitt Romney, who was then Chairman of the RGA. During that meeting, Gov. ROmney stated that, on behalf of the RGA, he was about to accept a $1 Million contribution from an individual Texan contributor. Gov. Romney did not identify who the contributor was, and TRP had no knowledge prior to that time that any individual was planning to contribute $1 Million to the RGA. Following the meeting with Gov. Romney, Ms. Delisi contacted Bob Perry's attorney Buddy Jones to ask whether Mr. Perry had contributed this money to the RGA. Mr. Jones ultimately confirmed that Mr. Perry had indeed made such a contribution, and Ms. Delisi asked Mr. Jones to encourage the RGA to make some contributions in Texas since the RGA had raised such significant funds from Texas.

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Guest American4Progress

Guest American4Progress

Enacting massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans seems to rank just after an all-consuming desire to defeat President Obama on the Republicans’ priority list. Texas Governor Rick Perry’s flat tax plan, which he released today in South Carolina, is just the latest entry in the Republican contest to drive down taxes on the wealthy while leaving middle class Americans to pay for what, if anything, remains of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and other vital government programs and services.

Here’s the rundown.

Mitt Romney: Romney’s tax plan includes a $6.6 TRILLION giveaway to corporations and the wealthiest Americans. Meanwhile, Romney’s Medicaid cuts are even more draconian than the ones in Paul Ryan plan. Both of their plans end also end Medicare, naturally.

Rick Perry: Perry’s tax plan would not only lower income taxes on the wealthy, it would also completely eliminate taxes on capital gains and dividends (currently taxed at 15 percent). In other words, Perry would dramatically expand the loophole that already allows millionaires (like Mitt Romney) and billionaires to pay a lower tax rate than many middle class Americans. When asked this egregious giveaway to the wealthy, Perry responded: “I don’t care about that.” In addition, Perry’s plan also embraces the privatization of Social Security (a program he has referred to in the past as an unconstitutional“Ponzi scheme” that is a “monstrous lie”).

Herman Cain: Cain’s now infamous 9-9-9 Plan would raise taxes on most all Americans, while slashing taxes for millionaires by an average of $487,300 each.

Jon Huntsman: Huntsman’s plan would introduce new taxes on veterans, seniors, the working poor, middle class Americans, students, and many others in order to give the top 0.1 percent an annual tax of nearly $500,000 each.

Michele Bachmann: Bachmann’s plan includes a massive tax cut for corporations and the wealthy paid for in part by increasing taxes on the working poor.

IN ONE SENTENCE: Republicans are proposing trillions in breathtaking new giveaways to the wealthy, all while slashing or even ending Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and other vital government services and programs that Americans depend on.

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Hope you do not back Rick Perry. After the last debate he needs to step out of the race. What is weird is that he piloted C-130 Hercules cargo planes, which takes intelligence. But, he just does not appear to be the one who can fix our broken economy.

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Do Christians voters really care whether Mormons believe that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers? Most don't really know Jesus was the "Prince of Peace" not war.

This is the age of media propaganda. It takes money, strategic alliances, good marketing, and/or a really strong grassroots movement to embrace an idea or person. Mitt Romney has 250 million to bolster his image. How many Americans will see this video?

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Guest Bob Cofod

Guest Bob Cofod

My hope is that the GOP establishment will stop protecting their "party" position and begin fighting for America the way we need them to. Business as usual isn't going to cut it. Obama's agenda is absolutely clear. He cannot survive without poverty. The only jobs he wants are the ones he can control (e.g., government, unions, and green grants). He cannot and will not cut spending - because he cannot touch his entitled base. When are clear conservative attacks on these large issues going to be launched? Soon I hope - in the meanwhile we must fight on.

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Guest Derek

Guest Derek

The Republicans write their own rules for the Iowa caucuses. They have written a rule that NO ONE has to provide proof of their identity to vote. And all votes will be tallied at a secret location. I predict they will fix the results to give Mitt Romney the edge.

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Guest Jimmy O.

Guest Jimmy O.

Jon Huntsman has a great message but its not getting out to the heart and soul of our country. In order to continue building his momentum he needs a superpac to buy time across all networks and and spread his conversation with America.

I would encourage Republicans to read his plan on how to get this country moving in the right direction and contrast it to where Obama is taking us. and what it means to every American if we continue on this path. History is a great teacher and you don't have to look far into the past to see that we are going down the same roads that many Great Empires went down that ultimately led to their destruction.

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Guest American4Progress

Guest American4Progress

Romney and his campaign accused critics of Wall Street excesses and his record at Bain Capital of merely being guilty of “envy,” but most of his responses have focused on accusing critics of being anti-capitalist, anti-American, sacrilegious, and even socialist:

Romney: You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on the 99 percent versus one percent — and those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent — you have opened up a whole new wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God.

Romney: We’ve understood for a long time that the Obama people would come after free enterprise.

Romney: President Obama wants to put free enterprise on trial. In the last few days, we have seen some desperate Republicans join forces with him. This is such a mistake for our Party and for our nation. This country already has a leader who divides us with the bitter politics of envy. We must offer an alternative vision. I stand ready to lead us down a different path, where we are lifted up by our desire to succeed, not dragged down by a resentment of success. In these difficult times, we cannot abandon the core values that define us as unique — We are One Nation, Under God. Make no mistake, in this campaign, I will offer the American ideals of economic freedom a clear and unapologetic defense.

Top Romney surrogate John Sununu: I think the socialist attacks you’re getting against Mitt Romney by opponents will come back to hurt them.

GOP presidential candidate and Air Force veteran Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) continues to highlight his strong support from members of the armed forces as he hits the campaign trail following his third-place finish in Iowa. And the numbers continue to bear him out, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Paul has collected $95,567 in campaign contributions from individuals who listed their occupation as one of the branches of the US military or US Department of Defense. That's more than any other current presidential contender, including, notably, President Barack Obama.